Ways to counter Harm

[RogueJK]

Soon after the Manual of the Planes came out, somebody on these boards (I can't recall who... ) sent an email to the Sage. They had noticed that the spell Positive Energy Protection stated that it helped protect against healing spells, and wondered if Negative Energy Protection was supposed to do the same with regards to Inflict spells. The response that they got back from the Sage is that Negative Energy Protection does protect against Inflict spells and Harm, since they are powered by Negative Energy.

Positive Energy Protection's description reads:
The creature warded by this spell gains partial protection from the efects of positive energy, including magical healing and regeneration. It can be cast upon undead to offer additional protection against the turning abilities of clerics.
The positive energy protection spell uses negative energy to offset the effects of positive energy. Each time the warded creature is struck by a positive energy effect, it rolls 1d20+caster level against a DC of 11+the HD of the originator of the effect.
If the warded creature succeeds, the positive and negative energies cancel each other with a roiling ball of darkness and a thunderclap. The spell or effect does not function, and if the source of the positive energy effect was touchgint he warded creature, the source takes 2d6 points of damage. If the warded creature fails the level check, then the positive energy effect occurs normally.

It seems that Negative Energy Protection is supposed to work similarly with regards to Inflict spells, Harm, and other negative energy effects.

 

[Sodalis]

yup, Harm is- as stated a zillion, bagillion times on these boards- broken.

My DM found it a while back and has been throwing cleric at us since. His favorite combo is harm, searing light. At higher lvls, it is quickened harm and searinglight (if he is not hasted)

both are touch attacks (searing light is ranged so there is no running from it)

He killed me... three times with this combo- potion of haste in surprise round. rd one: harm (no save- 4 hp) and searing light (no save- dead). since he casts defensively and dumps all his skills onto concentrate, he only fails on a natural 1. I brought this to his attention many times, and the answer always was,"if you were a cleric, you can heal..."

 

[Thanee]

My DM found it a while back and has been throwing cleric at us since. His favorite combo is harm, searing light. At higher lvls, it is quickened harm and searinglight (if he is not hasted)

Quickened Harm would be a 10th level spell!

Works fine with Harm and quickened Searing Light, tho! Or just Haste, as you said.

both are touch attacks (searing light is ranged so there is no running from it)

Ranged touch with the right feat, even!

He killed me... three times with this combo- potion of haste in surprise round. rd one: harm (no save- 4 hp) and searing light (no save- dead). since he casts defensively and dumps all his skills onto concentrate, he only fails on a natural 1. I brought this to his attention many times, and the answer always was,"if you were a cleric, you can heal..."

Must be fun with such a DM... *sigh*

Bye
Thanee

 

[THAC0]

"Best defense, no be there." - Mr. Miyagi

 

[Sodalis]

thanee:
Quickened Harm would be a 10th level spell!

Must be fun with such a DM... *sigh*

Yeah- but My DM isnt much for rules when it comes to things he can do to make us wrythe in pain and anguish. Once, he loaded up a barbarian with crit feats (impr crit with keen scythe, power crit (auto crit threat) rhino hide, and a couple others i cant remember). He charged through the forest and hit our fighter for 170 points (he had 110) and killed him instantly. Did i mention he was inv and the Dm said just ten minutes earlier that we coule notmove at full speed through the forest because of teh dense brush and trees. When I asked, "how could he charge if we cant even walk at full speed?" his response... "OK, all the trees are gone- no more trees..."

yup- playing with him is oodles of fun. I actually just quit his games. Not worth the stress. too bad our friendship suffered over a game...

 

[Thanee]

yup- playing with him is oodles of fun. I actually just quit his games. Not worth the stress.

I see! This sounds really bad!

too bad our friendship suffered over a game...

Sorry for you!

Bye
Thanee

 

[AuraSeer]

When I asked, "how could he charge if we cant even walk at full speed?" his response... "OK, all the trees are gone- no more trees..."

A DM did a similar thing to me once, except we were in mountains instead of a forest. The terrain penalties suddenly vanished for no reason, and this just happened to occur when it was convenient for some homebrew monster to charge out and do 300 damage to my wizard.

I pointed at something on my character sheet and yelled "HA! I'm still alive!" When the DM leaned over to read the sheet, I dumped my soda down the back of his shirt.

[cartman] Screw you guys, I'm goin' home! [/cartman]

 

[Theovis]

A DM did a similar thing to me once, except we were in mountains instead of a forest. The terrain penalties suddenly vanished for no reason, and this just happened to occur when it was convenient for some homebrew monster to charge out and do 300 damage to my wizard.

I pointed at something on my character sheet and yelled "HA! I'm still alive!" When the DM leaned over to read the sheet, I dumped my soda down the back of his shirt.

[cartman] Screw you guys, I'm goin' home! [/cartman]

That freaking rocks, man. I hope he screamed like a sissy girl.

 

[Darkness]

I hate it when a DM acts in such a way.
Myself, I'd never do it - or at the very least, I wouldn't be obvious about it...

 

[Darklone]

Hmm, I can be evil as DM and I am infamous for throwing CR11 encounters at newbie characters...

But there's always a way out and it's not made from stone. Throwing killer combos at PCs... that's why i prefer low level campaigns. Easier not to kill half of the group with one good surprise round.